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Sandwich

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This article is about the food item. For other uses see: sandwich (disambiguation).

American deli "sandwiches"

The sandwich is a food item typically consisting of two slices of bread between which are laid one or more layers of meat, cheese, or other filling, together with optional condiments, sauces, and other accompaniments. The bread is often lightly buttered or covered in a flavored oil when it is baked, or added in the sandwich to enhance flavor.

The term "sandwich" has been expanded—especially in the United States—to include items made with other "breads" such as tortilla, rolls and focaccia. Thus hamburgers and "subs", for example, are called "sandwiches" in the United States, although not in most English-speaking countries (since they are not made with slices of bread from a loaf).

The nearest Scandinavian equivalent traditionally takes the form of a single slice of bread with a meat, fish, cheese, etc. topping—what is generally known elsewhere as an "open sandwich".

The sandwich was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century English aristocrat, although it is unlikely to have been invented by him. It is said that Lord Sandwich was fond of this form of food because it allowed him to continue gambling while eating. The name of the earldom comes from that of the English village of Sandwich in Kent—from the Old English Sandwic, meaning "sand place".

Nowadays some types of sandwich are too unwieldy to be held in one hand, thus defeating Montagu's original purpose, and must be eaten with a knife and fork, or at least with both hands. In some countries it is considered proper always to use cutlery to eat sandwiches.

Sandwiches are commonly carried to work or school in lunchboxes to serve as the midday meal, taken on picnics, hiking trips, etc.

In India, sandwiches are mostly vegetarian, the most common type being the vegetable sandwich.

In the UK, particularly in the north of England they are known, informally, as 'butties'. This is particularly the case with sandwiches including freshly-cooked bacon and butter, though other forms of 'buttie' use other ingredients and mayonnaise. A sandwich filled with chips (US: french fries) is known as a 'chip buttie' (also butty). In French countries you might see this referred to as un Belge: a Belgian (sandwich). Another informal English name is 'sarnie'. In Scotland, sandwiches are called "pieces". One Australian slang term for sandwich is "sanger". In South Africa sandwiches are sometimes called "sarmies".

According to the Washington Post, the USA sandwich business was worth $105 billion US in sales in 2003, with a 6% annual growth.

British Sandwich Week, organised by the British Sandwich Association which represents the UK sandwich industry, occurs on the week beginning on the second Sunday of May.

The ham sandwich theorem can be used to prove mathematically that a single cut can divide two pieces of bread and the filling each exactly in half.

Examples

Sandwiches vary both in their style—how they are put together—and their fillings. Not every style could be used with every filling.

Sandwich styles

Open face sandwiches: In United States usually a warm meat (beef, turkey, ham) served open face and covered with gravy.

Fillings

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on
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